The Arts Work Fund’s THINK • EXPLORE • SHARE grant initiative offers support to arts organizations or collaborative groups of arts organizations to help them adapt operational and artistic practices in response to a changing arts environment. These adaptation grants are intended not for ongoing or regular operational costs but to provide organizations with opportunities to rethink and restructure aspects such as partnerships, operational practices, financial models, and organizational processes. The focus is on building resilience and creating sustainable structures that better equip arts organizations to fulfill their missions.

Organizations can apply for either a THINK or an EXPLORE grant, depending on whether they are in the planning stage or implementation stage of an adaptation effort. At least 65% of the grant funds will be awarded to arts organizations led by, for, and about Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. The application review is conducted by a panel comprising artists, arts leaders, and Arts Work Fund funders. While applicants are not required to propose entirely new ideas, the review panel will consider how the grant will propel the project forward. Organizations may submit only one application at a time and do not need to have received a THINK grant to apply for an EXPLORE grant.

Eligible applicants include organizations located in and serving Chicago and Cook County that have an arts-based mission and are either a 501(c)(3) public charity or have a fiscal sponsor with that designation. Arts organizations led by and for BIPOC communities must have operating budgets under $2 million, while all other eligible arts and culture organizations must have operating budgets under $800,000. Collaborative and cross-sector proposals are eligible under certain guidelines, particularly if they advance the mission of the arts organizations involved.

Projects that are ineligible include those for general operating support, creative production, ongoing programming, or capital campaigns. Universities, schools, and religious entities are also excluded. Other disallowed uses include purchasing computers, software, or furniture, and website or database upgrades. Selection criteria for grant awards include clarity and relevance of the identified organizational need, the appropriateness of the proposed adaptation, quality and feasibility of the plan and budget, capacity to complete the project, and potential for broader sector learning (for EXPLORE grants only).

Applications are reviewed three times per year with upcoming deadlines on December 15, 2024, May 15, 2025, and August 15, 2025, all at 5:00 p.m. Central Time. Decisions are made in March, July, and December respectively. The Thrive Grant program is currently inactive and not accepting applications. For inquiries, applicants may contact Marcia Festen, the Director of the Arts Work Fund, at 773-296-2601.